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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/27516895">Dimming of the Day</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/iRememberTheDark/pseuds/iRememberTheDark'>iRememberTheDark</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>If You Lose, You Die [3]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Angst, Character Death, EMA (Shingeki no Kyojin), Eren/Mikasa if you squint, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Manga Spoilers, Post Rumbling, Post-Canon, Post-War</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-11-12</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-11-12</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-08 04:53:11</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Major Character Death</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>910</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/27516895</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/iRememberTheDark/pseuds/iRememberTheDark</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>"As Eren watched the last remnants of hot, heavy clouds of steam float into the sky and dissipate, he idly contemplates that it might be nice to drift high into the atmosphere, just moving forward and never having to look back."</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Mikasa Ackerman &amp; Armin Arlert &amp; Eren Yeager</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>If You Lose, You Die [3]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1983308</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>7</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>32</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Dimming of the Day</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Just a little FYI if this seems familiar. I posted this under my other penname on Fanfiction.net, but I have no desire to actually connect the accounts. Please enjoy!</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>As Eren watched the last remnants of hot, heavy clouds of steam float into the sky and dissipate, he idly contemplates that it might be nice to drift high into the atmosphere, just moving forward and never having to look back.</p><p>Awareness shifting more into place, his notices that the sky is a serene blue. When was it last that he'd taken time to just stare up at the heavens? His wandering gaze finds it's way to Mikasa, whose face is enveloped by a strange, glowing halo of light, blocking the sun from his vision.</p><p>As the once loud mouthed, brash boy looked up at his childhood friend, he can tell her wobbly smile is just a front for how hard she's trying not to cry. Whether it's because she doesn't want him to see, is ashamed, or is simply sad, he's unsure. He can make out Armin's back just a little bit off to the side, seemingly giving them space. Eren watches his blond hair rustling in the gentle breeze until his form becomes unrecognizably blurry.</p><p>His eyes overflow with – with…with…He brings them back to meet Mikasa's. The glow around her seems even more out of place now that her eyes match his. He can feel her shaking form trying so, so hard to keep it together and steadily failing. Why are they crying? It's always been hard to stomach her tears. Eren becomes conscious of how heavy and faint…disconnected he feels from his body as he goes to comfort her, realizing he really physically can't after a few vain attempts. What the fuck? Why can't he – why wasn't he – What? <em>What?</em></p><p>He's spiraling. His breathing, once slow and sluggish, now quick and forceful bursts of air. <em>Why was he not healing?</em> His eyes, previously wandering idly now darted around trying to make sense of his surroundings, make sense of what was happening. All he could make out was the burning mist dissolving into the blue.</p><p>Why couldn't he move? Why were they crying? Why wouldn't Armin look this way?</p><p>His stare, again, met Mikasa's with a pleading to help him understand. To help him so that he could help her, wipe away her tears, see about Ar whose shoulders, he's grasped, were trembling harder than Mikasa's. Instead, the corners of her lips lifted back into that pained, wobbly smile. Reaching forward a quivering hand, she gently ran her fingers down his face, following the tracks from his green eyes. Up close the anguish and grief darkening her steely grays clogged his throat stopping his breath altogether. When she shifts to do the same to the other side, the sun lights the shadow her form cast over him and reveals the jagged broken end of a thunder spear…Oh…</p><p>He follows the shining rod down only to see the remainder vanish into his red-moistened chest…<em>Oh.</em></p><p>Clarity strikes Eren sharply. He hasn't taken time to stare at the sky because there wasn't any before. He supposes there isn't any now since it seems he's run out of it, still he can't help but look. For a brief moment, he wishes he was the type to runaway from his problems and somehow ask the muggy haze to carry him away with it. But he never has been.</p><p>His gaze flicks down to the spear and for the nth time to Mikasa. The way her face immediately crumples lets him know that she's the one that put it there. Strange that he can't remember her doing it even though he's known for some time that he would go by her hands. Not for the first time, he wishes he wasn't so selfish. Then they wouldn't be in this situation. He wouldn't be bleeding out on the ground, unable to heal. Armin wouldn't have his back turned to him as if it could block the sounds of his choking sobs. He wouldn't have had to hurt Mikasa in this extreme manor. But he always has been. Eren knows that this is the path he would always choose. He wouldn't leave this world any other way. He wouldn't want to leave by any other means. Still…</p><p>It literally takes everything left in him and he can already see the edges of his vision dimming, but he manages to grab onto Mikasa's limp hand dangling at her side and apply enough pressure to get her to pause her weeping, to look at him. Eren wants to smile for her. He wants to reassure her, to tell her that it's okay. He's not angry with her, with any of them. He understands just like he hopes they do him.</p><p>But he can't.</p><p>His remaining strength leaves him, and his already feeble grip slackens leaving his fingers to slump onto the ground. Slowly but surely, the only thing left is him willing her to get his message and her face once again in a halo of light, this time surrounded by a sea of black.</p><p>
  <em>Please…please…</em>
</p><p>He's so thankful for her, who has always looked out for him, had his back even when he didn't have hers, the one who always stayed by his side, the one who knew him better than anyone else. Of course, Mikasa would see. Of course, she would. He's so thankful as the final pinpricks of light fade away, he can see her small yet sincere smile through glistening streams on her cheeks.</p><p>
  <em>See you later, Eren.</em>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>So this is by no means how I think the manga will end. I really have no idea how it will go. I just wanted to write some angst without being all emotional. It definitely hits different from the others I've written. Anyway, I hope you enjoyed and thanks for reading!</p><p>Song: Vanishing Act - Lou Reed</p></blockquote></div></div>
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